After finishing dinner and bickering with his father, Lock prepared to return to Trost.
Leading his horse, he walked slowly to the manor gates.
Elise had been waiting there all along.
"Elise?" Lock walked up to her.
Elise looked at him silently, not saying a word.
Lock asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
With a blush, Elise lowered her head, pressing it against Lock's chest, then slowly wrapped her arms around him.
"What is it?" Lock asked softly again, a bit surprised.
"Young Master... you'll come back, won't you?" Elise's voice sounded a bit muffled today.
Lock chuckled, "Can't bear to see me go?"
"Mm..." The girl's voice in his arms was as faint as a thread of silk.
Lock felt Elise's grip on him tighten slightly. He reached out to stroke her black hair and comforted her softly, "I'll be back in a few days. Just wait for me at home with peace of mind."
Seeing that Elise didn't move, Lock helplessly took her by the shoulders and gently pushed her away.
"Alright now. You used to act like a little adult; how are you getting more childish as you get older?"
Lock rubbed her head and mounted his horse.
He looked at Elise, who was still standing there with her head down, and felt a bit of a headache. Finally, he said, "Take good care of the house."
Then, Lock rode off towards the south.
Elise grew smaller and smaller behind him...
Trost District, War Department, Erwin's office.
Erwin set down the report in his hand. "In other words, Eren's father, Grisha Jaeger, is likely a human from outside the walls."
"Yes," Hange said. "Like Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt, he also possesses the Power of the Titans. But unlike those three..."
"He was assisting those within the walls."
Sitting across from Hange, Klaus crossed his arms, puzzled. "If he was so interested in the Survey Corps, why didn't he provide us with more help?"
"Hard to say," Hange frowned. "I suspect that after entering the walls, he must have conducted a private investigation into the Royal Government and successfully took the Founding Titan from the Reiss Family."
"Without incredible determination and extraordinary courage, it would have been impossible for him to do it alone."
Hange looked at Erwin. "A man like that, before his death, told his ten-year-old son that he had hidden everything in the basement of his home..."
"And what could be inside that basement?"
After a moment of silence, Erwin spoke. "The things Grisha wanted to say but couldn't—the very thing the First Reiss King stole... the Memories of the World."
"But that's just my speculation..."
Erwin looked at everyone. "The Battle for the Recovery of Wall Maria will be executed in two days. If you want to know what's in the basement, we'll find out when we see it for ourselves."
He showed a faint smile. "That's what... our Survey Corps is all about, isn't it?"
"In that case, I'll leave each squad to you."
Everyone stood up, and Klaus reminded them, "But we must make sure to keep our operations confidential."
Harold suggested, "By the way, how about we get everyone some meat for tomorrow's dinner?"
Dirk chimed in, "True. It won't do if we don't occasionally show those brats what we adults are capable of."
Harold scratched his head. "Mainly because not long ago today, the Leon Family commissioned the Reeves Company to deliver a large supply."
Dirk was surprised. "That guy Ash is really thoughtful."
Maralen smiled. "We're benefiting from his son's presence."
As they walked to the door, Dirk asked Hange, "How should we handle the former Commander Shadis's crime of concealment?"
Hange said in an unfriendly tone, "Just leave him be. We don't have time to waste on that."
Maralen teased, "You must be quite disappointed, Hange. After all, you used to admire him so much."
"Shut up!" Hange's face turned red after being exposed. "Don't mention that again."
...Levi closed the door, shutting out the voices of the others.
Erwin asked in confusion, "Levi? Is something the matter?"
Levi stared at the man before him and said, "Don't go on this operation. Leave the on-site judgment to Hange."
"I won't have time to be a babysitter for a cripple then. You just stay here and wait for our good news."
"As for when they ask, just say I forced you to do it."
Erwin refused immediately, "No!"
He looked at Levi and said, "The chain of command will remain as usual. If I fall, it's Hange, then you... Without me, the success rate of the operation will drop."
"This operation will indeed be difficult, but because of that, we must stake everything on it!"
Levi said coldly, "If you say another word of that high-sounding nonsense, I'll break both your legs."
"Don't worry, I'll do it carefully so it's easy for you to have them set later."
Seeing Levi's threatening posture, Erwin actually laughed.
"You're right, Levi. A wounded Soldier shouldn't force himself back onto the battlefield."
"But..." Erwin's gaze was incredibly firm. "At the very moment the truth of this world is revealed, I must be there!"
Despite having some suspicions, Levi was still startled by Erwin's attitude. He asked, "Is that so important to you? More important than your two legs?"
"Yes."
Levi narrowed his eyes. "What about compared to humanity's victory?"
"It's even more important." Erwin didn't hesitate for a second.
After a long silence in the room, Levi finally spoke, "Is that so, Erwin? I'll trust your judgment then."
He turned and pulled open the door, leaving the room...
The eve of the recovery battle, the Survey Corps cafeteria.
The Soldiers were all dumbfounded, staring at the large plate of steaming meat on the table, for a moment thinking they were seeing things.
Harold raised his cup and shouted, "Although tonight is a special treat, be careful not to let the common people find out!"
"If you are qualified Soldiers, then enjoy this delicious food quietly to build up your strength!"
"This meal is the farewell banquet before the Battle for the Recovery of Wall Maria!"
"Now, cheers!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire cafeteria instantly turned into a chaotic mess.
Lock quickly snatched the plate of meat from the table, causing Sasha, who seemed to have gone mad, to lunge at nothing.
"Jean! Connie! Stop her!"
Seeing Sasha step onto the table and about to pounce on him again, Lock shouted hurriedly.
Connie and Jean pinned Sasha directly to the table.
Jean roared, "Sweet Potato Girl, what do you think you're doing?"
Connie held down the struggling Sasha firmly and said, "It's over. She's completely lost her mind."
Lock suggested, "Tie her up first, or none of us will be able to eat tonight."
Eren and Connie teamed up to gag Sasha and tie her to a pillar.
Lock began to distribute the meat slice by slice to the people at the table, leaving a portion for Sasha as well.
"Everyone, eat up. Our family's meat is definitely the best within the walls."
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